~Identity, The Internet, and Computer Gaming
A Weakness in the Medium
While the online environment that I have used to create the life of Asina
is impressive and has made a great many things possible, it certainly has
its limitations.
Like so many internet chat
rooms, as they first appeared with the freedom of identity that was once so
heralded, it allowed me to have my character live, unquestioned, as who she
was rather than who I was.
And yet, for many in the environment, it is simply a game, and not even one
to play roles in, at that. These people's behavior certainly introduces interesting
situations to the world, but it also detracts from the reality of it, and,
seriously, is often distracting.
I imagine anyone attempting
to live a life other than the one they do each and every day as per their
society's will would meet some ridicule or resistance, and those people who
for whatever reason do so in UO are treated no differently.
In addition, it is, ultimately, a game. It can never compare to the real
world, or even to virtual reality systems; and yet it offers things which
neither of the above options do, and I think that these allowances far overcome
the problems.
While created to turn
the game into an experiment, Asina will continue after this, I think, as a
strong and very real person in the Napa Valley shard of Britannia, her home,
as I continue to look for myself through her and others.